Key details
Dr Oliver Robinson
Associate Professor of Psychology
Dr Oliver Robinson is Associate Professor of Psychology in the School of Human Sciences at the University of Greenwich.
Oliver is Academic Portfolio Lead for Psychology and Counselling, programme lead for BSc Hons Psychology and BSc Psychology with Counselling, and a Year 3 course coordinator for Adult Development and Mental Health.
His research focuses on how identity, wellbeing and mental health are affected by major life transitions, crises and ageing processes during adulthood. He has published several books including Development through Adulthood, and his research has gained interest from the media, including the New Scientist, The Guardian, BBC Radio 4, The Telegraph and The Times. He is an expert in qualitative methods and has published various articles on how to conduct qualitative sampling and analysis.
Responsibilities within the university
- Academic Portfolio Lead for Psychology
- Senior Lecturer, Psychology, School of Human Sciences
- Programme Leader for BSc Psychology and BSc Hons Psychology with Counselling programmes
- Module Leader for Adult Development and Mental Health, on Year 3 BSc Hons Psychology with Counselling programme
Awards
- 2020: Supervisor of the Year Shortlist. Student Led Teaching Awards: Awarded by the Students Union, University of Greeenwich
- 2018: BPS undergraduate research assistantship award winner, worth £1600. Awarded by the British Psychological Society.
- 2017 : Inspirational Teacher of the Year. Winner. Student Led Teaching Awards: Voted for by Students. Awarded by the Students Union, University of Greeenwich
- 2016: Supervisor of the Year Shortlist. Student Led Teaching Awards: Awarded by the Students Union, University of Greeenwich
- 2012: Research Communicator of the Year Award: Awarded by University of Greenwich (prize of £3,000)
- 2010: Early Career Research Award: School of Health and Social Care, University of Greenwich (prize of £3000 invested in research trip to University of Texas and University of Houston)
Recognition
- Author of the internationally used textbook Development through Adulthood, published by Macmillan International https://www.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/Development-through-Adulthood/?K=9781352009590
- Guest editor for special edition of American Psychologist 'Rethinking Adult Development' (June2020) https://www.apa.org/pubs/highlights/spotlight/issue-186
- President of European Society for Research in Adult Development
- Senior Fellow of Advance HE
- External examiner at University of Agder, Norway
- External reviewer at Liverpool John Moores University
Research / Scholarly interests
Oliver's research specialism is in psychosocial adult development, particularly the relation between life transitions, crises and changes in personality and mental health. Areas of interest within these overlapping areas include:
The nature and experience of major life transitions such as the transition out of university or the transition into retirement, and effects of these on personality and wellbeing.
The antecedents, contents and outcomes of quarter-life crisis, midlife crisis and later life crisis.
The causes and extent of wellbeing, flourishing and authenticity in different adult age groups and cultures.
The developmental challenges of the first decade of adult life, often referred to as emerging adulthood.
The role of curiosity in adulthood as a driver for continued development.
Oliver also specialises in qualitative methods and mixed-methods designs, and has published a range of practical and theoretical articles in this area.
Key funded projects
2017-2018 Robinson, O.C., Stevenson, M., Wragg, J. & Field, J. Conducting and evaluating an intervention to support resilience in students within the Faculty of Education and Health (£9606)
2015 - 2016: Robinson, O.C. The changing pleasures of the new: Curiosity across the lifespan. Springer Nature (£7000) (Principal Applicant)
2015-2016: Robinson, O.C. Towards piloting a resilience intervention for students in Higher Education. Seedling Fund, University of Greenwich (£1700)
2014-2017Robinson, O.C. & McNay, I. Towards a resilience intervention for students in Higher Education. University of Greenwich Vice Chancellor's PhD Scholarship. £41,589.
2013 - 2016: Robinson, O.C. & Asadi, S. The transition to adulthood in the UK and Iran: A cross-cultural comparison of aspirations, maturity ideals and perceptions of adulthood amongst 18-25 year olds. The British Academy. International Partnerships and Mobility Grant. (£10,315) (Principal Applicant)
2013 - 2014: Robinson, O.C. Life After Greenwich: A longitudinal study of university leavers. Alumni Development Fund, University of Greenwich (£4,000)
2012 - 2013: Robinson, O.C. & Stell, A. Later life crisis: A key to understanding long-term wellbeing in the over-60s. Funded by: University of Greenwich School of Health and Social Care Fund (£4,580) (Principal Applicant)
2011 - 2012: Robinson, O.C. Quarter-life crisis and midlife crisis: prevalence, features and individual differences. Funded by: University of Greenwich School of Health and Social Care Fund (£8,000) (Principal Applicant)
2010 - 2011: Robinson, O.C. Relational and dispositional authenticity: developmental antecedents, personality correlates and implications for wellbeing. University of Greenwich Strategic Research Fund (£8,000) (Principal Applicant)
2008 - 2009: Robinson, O.C, Demetre, J.D. & Corney, R.H. Retirement: Dispositional and situational determinants of wellbeing. University of Greenwich Strategic Research Fund (£13,080) (Principal Applicant)
Recent publications
Article
Michael, Pascal , Luke, David, Robinson, Oliver (2024), Smokable "vine of the dead": two case studies of experiencers of both changa and near-death experiences. International Transpersonal Association. In: , , , . International Transpersonal Association, International Journal of Transpersonal Studies: 94 . pp. 1-24 ISSN: 1321-0122 (Print), 1942-3241 (Online) (doi: https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/advance-archive/94).
Evans, Jules , Robinson, Oliver, Argyri, Eirini, Suseelan, Shayam , Murphy-Beiner, Ashleigh , McAlpine, Rosalind , Luke, David , Michelle, Katrina , Prideaux, Ed (2023), Extended difficulties following the use of psychedelic drugs: a mixed methods study. Public Library of Science (PLoS). In: , , , . Public Library of Science (PLoS), PLoS ONE, 18: e0293349 (10) . pp. 1-24 1932-6203 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293349).
Robinson, Oliver and , (2023), Probing in qualitative research interviews: theory and practice. Taylor and Francis Group - Routledge. In: , , , . Taylor and Francis Group - Routledge, Qualitative Research in Psychology ISSN: 1478-0887 (Print), 1478-0895 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2023.2238625).
Michael, Pascal , Luke, David, Robinson, Oliver (2023), This is your brain on death: a comparative analysis of a near-death experience and subsequent 5-Methoxy-DMT experience. Frontiers Media. In: , , , . Frontiers Media, Frontiers in Psychology, 14: 1083361 . pp. 1-17 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083361).
Michael, Pascal , Luke, David, Robinson, Oliver (2023), An encounter with the self: a thematic and content analysis of the DMT experience from a naturalistic field study. Frontiers Media S.A.. In: , , , . Frontiers Media S.A., Frontiers in Psychology, 14: 1083356 . pp. 1-23 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083356).
Robinson, Oliver and , Fisher, Amy (2023), Experiences of moving an older parent into a care home or nursing home in the UK: a qualitative study. Springer US. In: , , , . Springer US, Current Psychology . pp. 1-12 ISSN: 1046-1310 (Print), 1936-4733 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04538-9).
Petrov, Nikolay , Robinson, Oliver C., Arnett, Jeffrey J. (2022), The Developmental Crisis Questionnaire (DCQ-12): psychometric development and validation. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Journal of Adult Development, 29 (4) . pp. 265-278 ISSN: 1068-0667 (Print), 1573-3440 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-022-09403-w).
Michael, Pascal , Luke, David, Robinson, Oliver (2021), An encounter with the other: a thematic and content analysis of DMT experiences from a naturalistic field study. Frontiers Media S.A.. In: , , , . Frontiers Media S.A., Frontiers in Psychology, 12: 720717 . pp. 1-20 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720717).
Robinson, Oliver , Sebah, Ilham, McNay, Ian, Field, Jenny , Wragg, Jane , Stevenson, Mandy , Newton, Paul (2021), Evaluating the REP-S brief resilience intervention for students in higher education: A multi-study mixed-methods programme of research. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 49 (5) . pp. 672-688 ISSN: 0306-9885 (Print), 1469-3534 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2021.1888372).
Robinson, Oliver and , (2021), Conducting thematic analysis on brief texts: The structured tabular approach. American Psychological Association. In: , , , . American Psychological Association, Qualitative Psychology, 9 (2) . pp. 194-208 ISSN: 2326-3598 (Print), 2326-3601 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000189).
Robinson, Oliver C. , Cimporescu, Maria, Thompson, Trevor (2020), Wellbeing, developmental crisis and residential status in the year after graduating from higher education: a 12-month longitudinal study. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Journal of Adult Development, 28 (2) . pp. 138-148 ISSN: 1068-0667 (Print), 1573-3440 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10804-020-09361-1).
Agarwal, Shantenu , Guntuku, Sharath Chandra, Robinson, Oliver C., Dunn, Abigail , Ungar, Lyle H. (2020), Examining the phenomenon of quarter-life crisis through artificial intelligence and the language of Twitter. Frontiers Media. In: , , , . Frontiers Media, Frontiers in Psychology, 11: 341 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00341).
Robinson, Oliver C. and , (2020), A dialectical approach to understanding the relationship between science and spirituality: The MODI model. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 10 (1) . pp. 15-28 ISSN: 2044-0243 (Print), 2044-0251 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/20440243.2020.1726045).
Asadi, Samaneh , Mohammadi Dehaj, Hamideh, Robinson, Oliver (2020), Personality change goals and plans as predictors of longitudinal trait change in young adults: a replication with an Iranian sample. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Journal of Research in Personality, 85: 103912 ISSN: 0092-6566 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2020.103912).
Robinson, Oliver C. and , (2019), Using longitudinal designs and online micro-narrative data to further our understanding of biography and the life course. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Advances in Life Course Research, 41: 100279 ISSN: 1040-2608 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2019.04.009).
Robinson, Oliver C. , Hanson, Karina, Hayward, Guy, Lorimer, David (2018), Age and cultural gender equality as moderators of the gender difference in the importance of religion and spirituality: Comparing the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion ISSN: 0021-8294 (Print), 1468-5906 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12567).
Robinson, Oliver C. and , (2018), A longitudinal mixed-methods case study of quarter-life crisis during the post-university transition: Locked-out and locked-in forms in combination. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, Emerging Adulthood, 7 (3) . pp. 167-179 ISSN: 2167-6968 (Print), 2167-6984 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696818764144).
Litman, Jordan A. , Robinson, Oliver C., Demetre, James D. (2016), Intrapersonal curiosity: Inquisitiveness about the inner self. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Self and Identity, 16 (2) . pp. 231-250 ISSN: 1529-8868 (Print), 1529-8876 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2016.1255250).
Robinson, Oliver C. , Demetre, James D., Litman, Jordan A. (2016), Adult life stage and crisis as predictors of curiosity and authenticity: Testing inferences from Eriksons lifespan theory. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, International Journal of Behavioral Development . pp. 1-6 ISSN: 0165-0254 (Print), 1464-0651 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025416645201).
Book section
Robinson, Oliver , Sebah, Ilham, Avram, Ana Alexandra (2022), The Resilience Enhancement Programme for Students (REP-S) (REP-S): evaluating an online intervention for boosting resilience in students. IGI Global. In: , , In: Julie Prescott (ed.), Digital Innovations for Mental Health Support. IGI Global, Hershey, USA (1st) . pp. 37-55 . ISBN: 9781799879916; 1799879917|; 9781799879923; 9781799879930 (doi: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7991-6.ch003).